Opioid Epidemic

BCBS Companies Are Leading Efforts to Combat the Opioid Epidemic

Our country is facing a serious and growing public health crisis. Every day, 91 Americans die from an overdose of prescription painkillers or heroin* – commonly referred to as opioids.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies are committed to our members and our communities to fight America’s opioid crisis. We are leveraging our resources and expertise within BCBS System to help to address the opioid epidemic and substance use disorder by:

Raising awareness of opioid risks and marshalling support for well-informed public policy through community engagements and partnerships;

Drawing on our unique role in the U.S. healthcare system to create a blueprint for a better system of care for substance use disorder; and

Adhering to nationally accepted, evidence-based guidelines in covering the care and treatment of individuals suffering from substance use disorder.

In 2016, BCBS companies increased the number of community programs related to behavioral health by a quarter, with a particular focus on addressing the opioid epidemic.

Blue Cross Blue Shield Association is a national federation of 36 independent, community-based and locally operated Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies that collectively provide healthcare coverage for nearly 105 million members – one-in-three Americans. For more information on the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association and its member companies, please visit www.BCBS.com. We encourage you to connect with us on Facebook, check out our videos on YouTube, follow us on Twitter and check out The BCBS Blog for up-to-date information about BCBSA.